India’s residential energy consumption has increased by a factor of 50 since 1971, outpacing growth in industrial, commercial, and agricultural sectors. A series of essays from MacArthur grantees Prayas and the Centre for Policy Research examines this shift and its implications, focusing on the questions of how electricity is used, what drives patterns of use, and what its implications are as the urban population grows. The essays, which are available in Hindi and English, cover topics including electricity and affordable housing, electrical appliance efficiency, and how behavior shapes electricity use.
